A QUESTION OF CHARITY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 423, 4 February 1909, Page 4

A QUESTION OF CHARITY.

Appeals are being urged throughout New Zealand for subscriptions to bo sent from this country to assist the British unemployed. The proposal was heartilj endorsed on Tuesday by the Duncdin Presbytery, whose attention was drawn to the widespread distress at Home by a circular from the Otago. Trades and Labour Council, which made refusal awkward by the adroit appeal, "and may wo ask tho Christian Churches to help?" No doubt the Presbytery thought that to refuse the request would exposo it to tho reproach of not acting in a Christian manner. Apparently a less worthy motive holped to sway its decision—the desire to conciliate Labour, which has not been over friendly to the Churches. One minister expressed the opinion that tho appeal offered a good opportunity for the Churches to get into touch with the Tradesand Labour Councils. He suggested tho possibility of a demonstration being made by the Presbytery, or by the combined Churches, acting in conjunction with the Otago Council. If tho Presbytery/ could^introduces this amount "of worldly wisdom into its consideration of tho question, we think it might have looked at the request from othor very practical points of view, before deciding to co-operate in relief measures. The sympathy of all New Zealand will rightly go out to the unemployed of.Britain, but is it possible that this Dominion should bo able to relieve appreciably the dis- ' tresses of unemployed almost as numerous \as its own population? The desire to help must bo commended, but considering that the largest sum that could be col-, le ctod would be no more than a drop in.' tho'ocean as compared with "tho.require-' ments at Home, tho question arises whether tho money would not be spent to more advantage if it were used to cope "with local necessities, on which it would be capable of making some impression. There aro sufficient wealthy peoplo in England to alleviate the British distress at once, but many of them are deaf to the call of private charity, and, owing to the State's administration of relief moneys, the same fate is in danger of ovortaking the. peoplo of New Zealand. Thorc is need for private charity in this counfcryas much as'in'Great Britain, in proportion to population, but people have been assisted to think that "charitable aid" is the oxclusivo province of the State. The result of State administration has already been extravagance and waete.so that,every year a larger amount, is paid for the relief of destitution through the official channel, which blesses neither him that gives nor him that takes. Certainly let New Zealanders give, and give individually, but let them first inquire if they cannot bost devote their money,to the'needs that they can floe around them; if they perceive no needs, their selfishness has reached a bad stage. For some weeks past a subscription list has been open at the City Council office for tho relief of British unemplojed, and its total has not swollen to any>large amount. Probably the lukewarmness of the public towards this fund ,, is due to_ a general agreement with our own conviction, that money available for philanthropic purposes can be spent move efficiently nearer home.